Private Project

The Humbug

Two elderly women in a care home grapple with magical mint humbugs, setting off an absurd journey through pleasure and peril.

  • Cole Paviour
    Director
    Walkies
  • Cole Paviour
    Writer
    Walkies
  • Geoff Stickler
    Producer
  • Jiggy Bhore
    Key Cast
    "Vera"
  • Yvonne D'Alpra
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Horror, Comedy, Drama
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 11, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    16,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Arri Alexa Mini
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Cole Paviour

Cole Paviour is a London-based director known for blending magical realism with grounded storytelling. His work transforms the everyday into something cinematic and uncanny – whether through in-camera illusions, high-end VFX, or darkly comic twists. Equally at home in commercials and narrative, he has directed campaigns for global brands including Sony, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, and PepsiCo, with work recognised at Cannes Lions, The One Show, and The Clios.

Alongside his commercial work, Cole creates original narrative films that explore addiction, control, and the fragile line between comfort and horror. His storytelling is defined by a tactile, handcrafted approach and a fascination with the grotesque, the surreal, and the emotionally true.

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Director Statement

I’m 7yrs-old, at my grandmother’s house, climbing onto the kitchen counter to reach the boiled sweets jar. I run to the sunroom and hide out, sucking for dear life. I’m eavesdropping on my great-grandmother as she knits and bickers violently with her best friend, Tilly – a local witch who can remove a wart with a 50p coin. Tilly says she can see a Victorian-looking man with wispy white hair standing in the garden. My great-grandmother cannot. Nor can I... I’m now 38yrs-old, sucking my first mint Humbug in over thirty years – when suddenly, I’m back in the sunroom. Only this time, I can see a Victorian-looking man... with wispy white hair...